zlacker

>>lazycr+(OP)
First gen Chinese, grew up in NA. Have contact with relatives "on the ground".

My own experience: Don't ever trust the Chinese government on issues that could potentially involve the reputation of the party. Note that I'm not saying don't trust what CCP says, ever (sometimes they actually do good things) - just not on issues that involve anything to do with how the world might perceive them.

Which is exactly what this issue is about.

That's not to say we have compelling evidence that this was a lab virus, either. I think, for me, it's a, "we don't know, but I wouldn't be shocked at all if it was a lab virus".

>>ttz+rc
> Don't ever trust the Chinese government on issues that could potentially involve the reputation of the party

Seems this holds true for every government and party.

>>Udik+Fg
It disingenuous and lazy to make broad statements of equivalence like this. There are very obvious differences in how the world’s governments operate.

>>bottle+MO
Oh yes? Shall we trust the US government in a good investigation on their motives to finance the bloody disaster that is the civil war in Syria? How about we send a Chinese delegation to check the documents inside the Pentagon or the CIA?

>>Udik+xP
Regardless of your view point, there is still has freedom of speech, mostly free information and elections that matters so if the people dislike the policy they can change it.

Not saying it’s all golden, but these are very meaningful differences.

>>kmonse+5Y
Which freedom of speech? That they don't send you to prison if you say something your neoliberal high priesthood does not like? Perhaps not, but you very well might lose your job. Otherwise go search in your free speech media anything about Assange. Now try to compare objectively Assange to Navalny and tell me why not.. Your freedom of speech is in a large part imaginary. As to the rule of law, if your legal system would get the attention it deserves, people would see that it is also in a large part a Hollywood myth